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This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What does Augustine consider as God's typical means of delivering His illumination?
(a) Using the"still quiet moments" to deliver His illumination.
(b) Using nature to deliver His illumination.
(c) Using adversity to deliver His illumination.
(d) Using humans to deliver His illumination.

2. What are the three things Augustine identifies as how God inspires His children?
(a) The promise of His return, His illuminated truths, and signs.
(b) Signs, things, and enjoyment.
(c) His illuminated truths, special gifts, and signs.
(d) His death, resurrection, and promise of return.

3. How does Augustine characterize things in Book One?
(a) They are all items that fall under God's authority.
(b) They are the items that God puts before Christians to use.
(c) They are the items that God puts before Christians to enjoy.
(d) They are ordinary objects that are not used to signify something.

4. What does Augustine consider to be the ultimate thing to be enjoyed?
(a) The things that we can develop from our special gifts.
(b) The Trinity of Christianity.
(c) The concept of Christian love as practiced in community.
(d) The things that God places in nature for us to use.

5. What is the main difference between the system of learning that Augustine advocates and that advocated by the critics he focuses on in the Preface?
(a) Augustine's system requires finding a qualified Priest to hand down the official teaching of the Church whereas the critics allow free interpretation.
(b) Augustine's system of learning requires study in Greek philosophy whereas the critics require researching copies of manuscripts.
(c) Augustine's system requires great expense in accessing the necessary documents of learning whereas the critics allow for the interpretation of the spirit through tongues.
(d) Augustine's system requires study and application of rules whereas the critics believe they can understand through special gifts.

6. According to Augustine, for what reason should one love oneself?
(a) One should only love oneself if God endowed him with understanding for interpretation.
(b) One should only love oneself if they can discern signs from things.
(c) One should only love oneself on account of God.
(d) One should only love oneself if they have seen illuminated truth.

7. What was the second type of criticism that Augustine suggests "On Christian Doctrine" would face?
(a) Criticism from those who refuse or are unable to apply it.
(b) Criticism from those who claim that Augustine relied too much on training and not enough on divine guidance.
(c) Criticism from those who face punishment if they try to apply it.
(d) Criticism from those who claim too many Christians could not access proper training.

8. What is the first important distinction that Augustine makes in Book One?
(a) The distinction between the Christian conception of love and the pagan conception of love.
(b) The distinction between learning and teaching.
(c) The distinction between discovering what Scripture teaches and communicating it.
(d) The distinction between "enjoy" and "use."

9. How does Augustine expect to get the knowledge that he lacks?
(a) He will confer closely with other learned Priests.
(b) He will extensively study in the library at Hippo Regius.
(c) He will collaborate with members of his church community.
(d) God will give him the knowledge that he lacks.

10. What does Augustine use to illustrate a thing to be enjoyed?
(a) The gathering of friends who come to share a delicious meal.
(b) The special gift that enables one to cook a delicious meal.
(c) The pot for cooking a delicious meal.
(d) A delicious meal.

11. What Scriptural defense does Augustine use for encouraging critics to consider the validity of "On Christian Doctrine"?
(a) Augustine argues that Scripture is the foundation of his writing, so his effort is divinely inspired.
(b) Augustine argues that Scripture does not negate any teaching extrapolated from Scripture.
(c) Augustine argues, in his blending of Greek and Christian thoughts, that Scripture contains many examples of God using pagans to exhibit his will.
(d) Augustine argues that Scripture contains many examples of people teaching others.

12. What does Augustine encourage his critics to remember in the Preface?
(a) To practice the rhetorical skills he embraces to make criticism more effective.
(b) To be wary of falling into the trap of heresy.
(c) To patiently contemplate his points before they make a judgment.
(d) To remember experiencing learning for themselves.

13. Why does Augustine expect the method of accessing knowledge he lacks to be successful?
(a) Augustine believes that God will give to him because God gives to those who "give away," as does Augustine when he teaches.
(b) Augustine has great respect for other learned Priests within his sphere.
(c) Augustine is familiar with the classification system of the library at Hippo Regius.
(d) Augustine believes God guides those who gather in Christian community.

14. Based on Augustine's Preface, what is the perception of critics toward learning?
(a) The most reliable aids for interpretation are from Scripture themselves.
(b) They do not need aids for interpretation such as those Augustine offers.
(c) The most reliable aids for interpretation are writings from individuals directly connected to the authors of Scriptures.
(d) Reliable interpretation can come from a situational application.

15. How does Augustine describe humans?
(a) Humans are things that use language as a symbol.
(b) Humans are above things because they use them.
(c) Humans are things that can "enjoy," love and "use" things.
(d) Humans are things that are subject to the laws of God.

Short Answer Questions

1. When Augustine focuses on one of the types of criticism he expects to receive, what does he suggest to the reader?

2. What is Augustine's perception of God's dispensation of "special gifts" of interpreting Scripture?

3. How does Augustine characterize the argument that his teaching is not needed because it comes from a human source?

4. What does Augustine claim to be the central law of love and the message of Christianity?

5. According to Augustine, what are competing influences on an individual's thinking?

(see the answer keys)

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